The Grammar Logs -- Number Fifty-Two

The
Grammar
Logs
# 52

Question I usually write very long sentences. What would technically constitute a run-on?
Source & Date
of Question Columbus, Ohio
16 December 1997
Grammar's
Response A run-on sentence is not necessarly long at all. A run-on sentence comprises two or more independent clauses which have been improperly connected -- often smooshed together with only a comma (which constitutes a comma splice), but sometimes just loosely connected with nothing at all. See our section on run-ons and click on the hyperlink for the 239-word sentence which is perfectly sound, structurally, but is nonetheless too long for its own good. The average sentence, I've read, is around 24 words, and maybe that's what the computerized grammar-checkers look for when they say your sentences are too long. This is the least useful of a grammar-checker's functions, but it might be a warning sign that your sentences are on the hefty side. Variety, that's what you want to aim for.

Question Dear Grammar,
I am an American Scientist currently writing my Ph.D. thesis here in Holland, and am having fits and blind spells from dealing with non-native English speakers inability to distinguish between correct grammar and personal taste. But, being a scientist, I write from habit, and have not thought much about grammar for years. This makes it difficult to defend myself, even though I FEEL certain that I am correct. Specifically, my question concerns the omission of phrases like "which is" and "that are"; how can one determine when this is acceptable and when it is not?
Consider the following example:
I wrote, "The screening procedure was designed to isolate cDNAs coordinately expressed with POMC". My advisor insists that it has to be: ..isolate cDNAs THAT ARE coordinately expressed with POMC.
Another point that seems to continually arise, is use of "the": I wrote: The amino-terminal extensions are primarily responsible for regulation of protease activity. He says: The amino-terminal extensions are primarily responsible for THE regulation of protease activity.
Finally, can you please tell me when it is necessary to capitalize the first word after a full stop and when it is not?
Hartelijk dank!
Source & Date
of Question Nijmegen, The Netherlands
19 December 1997
Grammar's
Response When you leave out the "which is," "that are," etc., you're creating what's called an elliptical clause. It's a perfectly acceptable way of doing things, a kind of shortcut, but you might find resistance to it among people for whom English is a Second Language. Shortcuts -- such as elliptical clauses, contractions, etc. -- can lead to perdition. The elliptical clause, however, more often than not is both efficient and elegant.
Uses of the, on the other hand, is real toughie. You can use it or choose to leave it out of the sentence you give us. I would've put it in myself, but it's strictly up to you -- in this case, anyway. I recommend the University of Toronto Library's document "The Rules for Using the Word The".
Finally, I'm not sure what you mean by a "full stop." Periods, that's easy: always use a capital letter to begin what follows. Do you mean the colon? That's not so easy. If what follows a colon is a full sentence, you can either begin with a capital letter or not. Otherwise, I wouldn't. After a semicolon, you wouldn't capitalize the next word unless it's a proper noun.

Question Please let me know if the following sentence is punctuated correctly:
After a lengthy silence, R2D2 and C3PO looked at each other with surprise written all over their faces, and proclaimed, "What do they use their big toe for?"
Should there be a comma after the word "FACES". I didn't think so. If so, can you please tell me why. Thanks and have a wonderful Christmas!!!!!
Source & Date
of Question Unknown
19 December 1997
Grammar's
Response I think that some writers -- careful writers, even -- would put a comma there for purposes of indicating a slight pause, but, no, there is no rule that says you should use a comma there. The "and" is connecting two verbs, not two independent clauses, so it is sufficient in its commaless state.

Question Can computers change the way we learn grammar? and how?
Source & Date
of Question Malaysia
19 December 1997
Grammar's
Response I don't know, and it's too big a question to treat here anyway. It might make talking about grammar more fun, and that's important in itself. Some people argue that electronic writing is making people more careless, but I doubt it. Anything that facilitates writing and the sharing of writing has got to be potentially good for language. The technology is changing so fast, though, that I think, right now, it's quite impossible to say where the digital revolution is leading our study of language or its effects on language. I'll have to leave that discussion to visionaries and to future pundits.

Question What is the best way to write a compare and contrast essay?
Source & Date
of Question Arkadelphia, Arkansas
19 December 1997
Grammar's
Response I doubt is there is any one best way to write such an essay. You probably ought to visit your local library and pick up just about any textbook they've got sitting around. You'll find good advice. Mostly, be fair in making your point -- and don't forget that you ought to have a reason for making this comparison. Don't compare the night life of Arkadelphia to the night life of Manhattan. You'll have to decide early on if you're going to go point by point, back and forth like a ping-pong game, or if you're going to treat entirely one side and then the other. Also, watch your uses of parallel form in a comparison/contrast essay.

Question I'm on a mission to find the correct spelling of relatively new words associated with today's technology. Which is correct:

email, e-mail, E-mail or Email?
home page or homepage?
website, web site or Web site?
World Wide Web or world wide web?
Internet or internet?
(If, by chance, none of these options are correct, please let me know the correct version.)

My last question is punctuation for dates. Which is correct:
On December 24, 1997, our offices will be closed. or
On December 24, 1997 our offices will be closed.
This leads me to another question (sorry) --Which is correct?
In February, 1998, we will move ..... or
In February 1998 we will move .... or
In February, 1998 we will move ....
You have great information on this site. Thank you!
Source & Date
of Question Sacramento, California
19 December 1997
Grammar's
Response These words are too new for anyone to have an authoritative, final say on their spelling. I used email for a long time, but I'm now convinced that e-mail is better. You can try the Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing, but I'm not completely convinced of its being the final arbiter of anything. (I don't even think that's how we should spell online!) Enjoy the freedom of newness!
As for those dates, when you include the date of the month, the year becomes parenthetical (i.e., surround it with commas). Without the date, you don't need a comma, although you might put one after 1998 because you need to set off the introductory phrase.

Question I have another question for the grammar experts. Here are the sentences and questions.

She is one of the best women to have such careers. what is wrong with this sentence. I think a particle belongs between such and careers.
I wrote hard. Why can't hard be used here?
Thank you.
Source & Date
of Question Unknown
19 December 1997
Grammar's
Response Do you mean an "article" between "such" and "careers"? "Such a career" would definitely be better, but it's not going to help the fact that "best women" doesn't mean much in this context (or this lack of context).
I'm afraid the same is true of "writing hard." What does it mean to write hard? You hear about cowboys and jockeys "riding hard" and that has a kind of poetry to it, I suppose, suggesting the individual has a long, rough, tough journey of it, but I don't know what it means to "write hard."

Question Dear Grammar:

Exaggeration aside, if you have to choose among several flavors of pies, which is the correct way of asking:
1)Bring me two slices of EACH.
OR
2)Bring me two slices of EVERY.

Thanks for your comments.
Source & Date
of Question Sao Paulo, Brazil
20 December 1997
Grammar's
Response "Each." Actually, you couldn't end the sentence with "every" that way. Every would have to be a modifier: "Bring me two slices of every pie in the restaurant."

Question
When can we skip "that"?
1. I think Peter is smart. (No "that")
2. I'll buy you anything you like. (No "that")
3. The mailman that used to come every day has quit. ("that" required)
May I say that whenever a clause follows "that", you can take out the word, "that"? What is the general rule? Is it context dependent?

Source & Date
of Question San Francisco, California
23 December 1997
Grammar's
Response When you leave the "that" out of a noun clause that follows a verb, you're creating what's called an elliptical construction. Often, such a construction will be more efficient and sometimes even more elegant than the same sentence with the "that" included. Just re-read your sentence carefully to make sure that you haven't created something that's confusing.
Your third sentence is different from 1 and 2 in that the dependent clause of #3 has no subject if you remove the relative pronoun "that": used to come every day (Incidentally, I think I would have used "who" instead of "that" in that sentence.)

Question Please let me know if this sentence is correct. I am editing it for a friend, and I don't know what the problem is with the structure.
I thought I could start with the young, break the cycle of poverty, and encourage love of self and of people, particularly in urban areas; hence, the study of early childhood education.
Thank you for your help!
Source & Date
of Question Sweeny, Texas
23 December 1997
Grammar's
Response Using the word "hence" like that feels clumsy to me. We have a nice parallelism going there in the first sentence, and I'd stick with it, break the sentence with a period after areas, and then begin a new sentence, a nice short one about how such notions led to such a career choice. Second, I think that "of people, particularly in urban areas" is not only clumsy but weird (if you'll forgive me for saying so). Why will early childhood education lead to a love of people in urban areas (as opposed to folks back on the farm)? What if it were something like, "I thought I could start with the young, break the cycle of poverty, encourage children's self-esteem, and foster their ability to love others. Structually, the semicolon doesn't work there anyway; we should reserve it for "monster lists" and for connecting independent clauses.

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Question	Please let me know if the following sentence is punctuated correctly: After a lengthy silence, R2D2 and C3PO looked at each other with surprise written all over their faces, and proclaimed, "What do they use their big toe for?" Should there be a comma after the word "FACES". I didn't think so. If so, can you please tell me why. Thanks and have a wonderful Christmas!!!!!
Source & Date of Question	Unknown 19 December 1997
Grammar's Response	I think that some writers -- careful writers, even -- would put a comma there for purposes of indicating a slight pause, but, no, there is no rule that says you should use a comma there. The "and" is connecting two verbs, not two independent clauses, so it is sufficient in its commaless state.

Question	I'm on a mission to find the correct spelling of relatively new words associated with today's technology. Which is correct: email, e-mail, E-mail or Email? home page or homepage? website, web site or Web site? World Wide Web or world wide web? Internet or internet? (If, by chance, none of these options are correct, please let me know the correct version.) My last question is punctuation for dates. Which is correct: On December 24, 1997, our offices will be closed. or On December 24, 1997 our offices will be closed. This leads me to another question (sorry) --Which is correct? In February, 1998, we will move ..... or In February 1998 we will move .... or In February, 1998 we will move .... You have great information on this site. Thank you!
Source & Date of Question	Sacramento, California 19 December 1997
Grammar's Response	These words are too new for anyone to have an authoritative, final say on their spelling. I used email for a long time, but I'm now convinced that e-mail is better. You can try the Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing, but I'm not completely convinced of its being the final arbiter of anything. (I don't even think that's how we should spell online!) Enjoy the freedom of newness! As for those dates, when you include the date of the month, the year becomes parenthetical (i.e., surround it with commas). Without the date, you don't need a comma, although you might put one after 1998 because you need to set off the introductory phrase.

Question	I have another question for the grammar experts. Here are the sentences and questions. She is one of the best women to have such careers. what is wrong with this sentence. I think a particle belongs between such and careers. I wrote hard. Why can't hard be used here? Thank you.
Source & Date of Question	Unknown 19 December 1997
Grammar's Response	Do you mean an "article" between "such" and "careers"? "Such a career" would definitely be better, but it's not going to help the fact that "best women" doesn't mean much in this context (or this lack of context). I'm afraid the same is true of "writing hard." What does it mean to write hard? You hear about cowboys and jockeys "riding hard" and that has a kind of poetry to it, I suppose, suggesting the individual has a long, rough, tough journey of it, but I don't know what it means to "write hard."

Question	Dear Grammar: Exaggeration aside, if you have to choose among several flavors of pies, which is the correct way of asking: 1)Bring me two slices of EACH. OR 2)Bring me two slices of EVERY. Thanks for your comments.
Source & Date of Question	Sao Paulo, Brazil 20 December 1997
Grammar's Response	"Each." Actually, you couldn't end the sentence with "every" that way. Every would have to be a modifier: "Bring me two slices of every pie in the restaurant."

Question	When can we skip "that"? 1. I think Peter is smart. (No "that") 2. I'll buy you anything you like. (No "that") 3. The mailman that used to come every day has quit. ("that" required) May I say that whenever a clause follows "that", you can take out the word, "that"? What is the general rule? Is it context dependent?
Source & Date of Question	San Francisco, California 23 December 1997
Grammar's Response	When you leave the "that" out of a noun clause that follows a verb, you're creating what's called an elliptical construction. Often, such a construction will be more efficient and sometimes even more elegant than the same sentence with the "that" included. Just re-read your sentence carefully to make sure that you haven't created something that's confusing. Your third sentence is different from 1 and 2 in that the dependent clause of #3 has no subject if you remove the relative pronoun "that": used to come every day (Incidentally, I think I would have used "who" instead of "that" in that sentence.)

Question	I usually write very long sentences. What would technically constitute a run-on?
Source & Date of Question	Columbus, Ohio 16 December 1997
Grammar's Response	A run-on sentence is not necessarly long at all. A run-on sentence comprises two or more independent clauses which have been improperly connected -- often smooshed together with only a comma (which constitutes a comma splice), but sometimes just loosely connected with nothing at all. See our section on run-ons and click on the hyperlink for the 239-word sentence which is perfectly sound, structurally, but is nonetheless too long for its own good. The average sentence, I've read, is around 24 words, and maybe that's what the computerized grammar-checkers look for when they say your sentences are too long. This is the least useful of a grammar-checker's functions, but it might be a warning sign that your sentences are on the hefty side. Variety, that's what you want to aim for.

Question	Can computers change the way we learn grammar? and how?
Source & Date of Question	Malaysia 19 December 1997
Grammar's Response	I don't know, and it's too big a question to treat here anyway. It might make talking about grammar more fun, and that's important in itself. Some people argue that electronic writing is making people more careless, but I doubt it. Anything that facilitates writing and the sharing of writing has got to be potentially good for language. The technology is changing so fast, though, that I think, right now, it's quite impossible to say where the digital revolution is leading our study of language or its effects on language. I'll have to leave that discussion to visionaries and to future pundits.

Question	What is the best way to write a compare and contrast essay?
Source & Date of Question	Arkadelphia, Arkansas 19 December 1997
Grammar's Response	I doubt is there is any one best way to write such an essay. You probably ought to visit your local library and pick up just about any textbook they've got sitting around. You'll find good advice. Mostly, be fair in making your point -- and don't forget that you ought to have a reason for making this comparison. Don't compare the night life of Arkadelphia to the night life of Manhattan. You'll have to decide early on if you're going to go point by point, back and forth like a ping-pong game, or if you're going to treat entirely one side and then the other. Also, watch your uses of parallel form in a comparison/contrast essay.

Question	Please let me know if this sentence is correct. I am editing it for a friend, and I don't know what the problem is with the structure. I thought I could start with the young, break the cycle of poverty, and encourage love of self and of people, particularly in urban areas; hence, the study of early childhood education. Thank you for your help!
Source & Date of Question	Sweeny, Texas 23 December 1997
Grammar's Response	Using the word "hence" like that feels clumsy to me. We have a nice parallelism going there in the first sentence, and I'd stick with it, break the sentence with a period after areas, and then begin a new sentence, a nice short one about how such notions led to such a career choice. Second, I think that "of people, particularly in urban areas" is not only clumsy but weird (if you'll forgive me for saying so). Why will early childhood education lead to a love of people in urban areas (as opposed to folks back on the farm)? What if it were something like, "I thought I could start with the young, break the cycle of poverty, encourage children's self-esteem, and foster their ability to love others. Structually, the semicolon doesn't work there anyway; we should reserve it for "monster lists" and for connecting independent clauses.